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Rockwood School District

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4th Grade

Course Description

Fourth grade instruction includes reading, writing, speaking and listening. Fourth graders will become more fluent readers while using word analysis skills. They will apply comprehension strategies to develop a deeper understanding of fiction and informational text. Students will write opinion, narrative, and informative pieces using appropriate grammar and spelling skills. Instruction may be in small groups, whole group, and/or individually, depending on the needs of the students.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Applies Word Analysis Skills When Solving Words
  • Reads Grade Appropriate Text Fluently
  • Comprehends Grade Appropriate Fiction Text
  • Comprehends Grade Appropriate Informational Text
  • Reads Independently
  • Organizes Writing to Communicate Ideas for Appropriate Task and Purpose
  • Develops Topic with Facts and/or Details through Revision
  • Applies Grade Appropriate Grammar in Writing through Editing
  • Applies Grade Appropriate Spelling in Writing
  • Writes Independently
  • Participates in Collaborative Conversations
  • Reports on a Topic or Tells a Story

Course Description

Fourth grade instruction focuses on United States history from the early exploration of the Americas through the year 1800. The course will also examine the relationships between geography, government, and economic and cultural concepts as they relate to United States history. Students will develop social science inquiry skills including questioning, gathering and using evidence, developing claims, and constructing arguments and explanations.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Analyze the geography of the United States and its effects on people.
  • Explain the impact of historical periods on society.
  • Examine social and civic responsibilities.
  • Conduct and present research using appropriate sources.

Course Description

Fourth grade instruction includes numbers in base ten, numbers and operations in fractions, relationships and algebraic thinking, geometry and measurement, and data and statistics.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Understands the Place Value System
  • Performs Multi-Digit Arithmetic up to 1,000,000
  • Understands Fraction Equivalence and Ordering (denominators 2,3,4,5,6,8,10,12,100)
  • Adds and Subtracts Fractions (limit denominators 2,3,4,5,6,7,10,12,100)
  • Multiplies a Fraction by a Whole Number
  • Understands Decimal Notation for Fractions and Compares Decimal Fractions (using denominators of 10 or 100)
  • Classifies 2-Dimensional Shapes
  • Understands Factors and Multiples
  • Generates and Analyzes Patterns
  • Understands the Concepts of Angles and Measures Angles
  • Solves Measurement Problems and Converts Measurements From a Larger Unit to a Smaller Unit
  • Represents and Analyzes Data

Course Description

Throughout the unit of Dynamic Earth, students will build an appreciation of the Earth as a dynamic system that is constantly being shaped by wind, water, ice, vegetation, plate movements, earthquakes, volcanoes, and humans. Some of these changes are slow and some are fast. This unit prominently features the Crosscutting Concepts of Patterns, Cause and Effect, and Stability and Change. The Transfer of Energy and Information Unit integrates the concepts of waves, energy transfer, and technological information to challenge students to develop a device that will communicate a message over long distances. Students will learn about energy through the lens of sound, light, and electrical energy. Students develop models that show how light, sound, and motion are produced from the movement of electrical energy in a circuit. They will construct their own circuit, seeing the cause and effect relationships between energy transforming in a circuit and the construction of the circuit. In the unit, What Energy Does, students explore the flow of energy in natural and engineered systems in order to develop an understanding of how energy causes changes and can be transferred and transformed. The Crosscutting Concept of Energy and Matter, as well as Stability and Change, are featured prominently in this unit as students track energy into, out of, and within systems. In the unit, Structure, Function and Survival, students consider the phenomenon of a person getting scared when they encounter a bug. What causes this bodily reaction to happen? To answer this question, students explore how different organisms use their body structures in order to sense, respond to their environment, and survive. The Crosscutting Concepts of Structure and Function, as well as Systems and System Models, are prominently featured in this unit. Students come to understand an organism as a system of structures that each have their own specific function. These structures work together in order to help the organism survive.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Investigates effects of weathering and erosion
  • Evaluates data to explain how patterns in rock tell earth’s history
  • Designs a solution to reduce the impacts of Earth processes
  • Describes patterns in waves by creating models
  • Designs a circuit to convert energy into a useful device
  • Uses patterns to design a way to transfer information to others
  • Constructs explanations relating the speed of an object to energy of the object
  • Investigates the effects of motion and predicts future motion and evaluates collisions and predicts outcomes based on observable patterns
  • Uses evidence based observations to prove energy transfer and designs a device to convert energy from one form to another
  • Demonstrates how light helps us see objects and models how animals process information in different ways
  • Collects evidence about an organism’s structure, function, and survival
  • Investigates through engineering how variables can affect an animal’s preference for habitat

Course Description

Fourth Grade Art focuses on thinking creatively and critically through exploratory investigation and collaboration. Students will engage in the artistic processes of planning, creating, and reflecting through practicing the Studio Habits of Mind. A variety of skills, techniques, and media will be refined, including but not limited to: drawing, painting, mixed media, collage, fibers, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics. Students will apply visual literacy strategies by relating to the arts of other times, places, and cultures and will communicate about their work throughout the artmaking process. Students will develop their personal voice (or exhibit curiosity) by exploring their interests and/or backgrounds while creating original ideas. As a result, students will begin the process of forming personal identity and learn how to empathize with others globally as 21st century learners.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • CREATING: Play & Ideation - Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. VA:Cr1A.4
  • CREATING: Investigation - Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to the makers. VA:Cr1B.4
  • CREATING: Skill Acquisition - Explore and invent artmaking techniques and approaches. VA:Cr2A.4
  • CREATING: Reflect-Refine-Continue - Revise artwork in progress on the basis of insights gained through peer discussion. VA:Cr3A.4
  • RESPONDING: Interpret - Interpret art by referring to contextual information and analyzing relevant subject matter, characteristic s of form, and use of media. VA:Re8A.4
  • RESPONDING: Evaluate - Apply one set of criteria to evaluate more than one work of art. VA:Re9A.4.

Course Description

This course will focus on exploring the musical processes of creating, performing, and responding, while forming connections within arts and non-arts disciplines. Students will develop the skills necessary to experience music as a performer and consumer, thus encouraging a lifelong appreciation of music.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Demonstrates knowledge of concepts through the creation of original music.
  • Sings, plays instruments and moves to music.
  • Evaluates and responds to music.

Course Description

This is an elective course offered to all fourth grade students. Students meet for 30 minutes twice a week in low string (cello) and high string (violin/viola) groups if possible. The students may choose to play violin, viola, or cello. Standard note-reading skills are taught through the use of a strings method book as well as supplemental materials. Students are responsible for providing their own instrument and supplies. A limited number of instruments are available for students based on financial need.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Left Hand: Demonstrates correct placement of the left hand.
  • Bow Technique: Performs bowing techniques.
  • Practice Skills: Applies concepts in independent practice.
  • Ensemble Skills: Displays ensemble skills.
  • Music Literacy: Identifies and performs music notation.

Course Description

The Fourth Grade Health/Physical Education curriculum is based on student’s participation in sequential and developmentally appropriate activities selected by the teachers from the suggested facilitating activities. The teachers will focus on and are not limited to, locomotor (combining two or more) and non-locomotor skills, body in space, manipulative skills (passing, throwing, catching), health and skill-related fitness, aerobic and anaerobic, parts of a workout, benefits of being fit, heart rate, decision making, problem-solving, risk-taking, goal setting, sportsmanship, safety and first aid, disease prevention, and growth and development.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • Participate in health-enhancing physical activities
  • Participate in a variety of activities that will increase and/or enhance their level of physical activity
  • Demonstrate and apply locomotor and non-locomotor skills.
  • Demonstrate and apply personal and social responsibilities.
  • Demonstrate rhythmic and dance activities.
  • Demonstrate and apply manipulative skills.
  • Demonstrate and understand basic first aid for minor injuries.
  • Recognize how to respond to home, school, and outdoor emergencies.
  • Identify the types of disease, the risk factors, and prevention of illness/diseases.

Course Description

The Library Media program for grades 4-5 will continue to develop students’ abilities to navigate and access a variety of current library resources while refining library and research skills. The program will emphasize growth as lifelong readers, ethical, digital citizens, and productive researchers in a collaborative environment.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • In order to become lifelong learners and readers, students will be able to find, filter, and apply digital and print resources ethically and responsibly.

Course Description

The goal of our program is to have students spend as much time in their regular classroom as possible. Each English Learner (EL) receives support from a certified ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Teacher. The ESOL teacher provides academic support in all content areas, and partners with classroom teachers and other education professionals to ensure that ELs’ needs (academic, social, personal) are met. Rockwood employs a variety of instructional models to support students’ needs. Students may receive services in class, in a small group, or one-on-one depending on their level of proficiency. All ELs also work on developing portfolios as another way to track their academic growth and their English language development.

Expected Course Outcomes

  • English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.
  • English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of language arts.
  • English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of mathematics.
  • English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of science.